Brick cops justified shooting man whose dad claimed he put down gun,

The shooting of a Brick man who reportedly aimed an imitation firearm at police has been deemed justified, according to an investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

A report by the Ocean County Prosecutor's office Thursday, saying 21-year-old Julian Hoffman raised his weapon at police, conflicts with statements the man's father made after the shooting in August.

That month, the Asbury Park Press has quoted Julian Hoffman’s father, Derek Hoffman, saying his son had an air rifle that he put on the ground, surrendering. And NJ.com quoted Derek Hoffman saying he has proof that his sons arms were up during the shooting. Derek Hoffman reportedly told the site a video surveillance camera mounted at his front entranceway captured the proof. He later said as many as three videos might have captured the incident.

But it wasn't clear from the statements Derek Hoffman made at the time if he'd seen any such video footage himself. While NJ1015.com made brief contact with Derek Hoffman last year, he didn't return later calls seeking clarification of his statements.

“I will say this,” prosecutor's office spokesman Al Della Fave told New Jersey 101.5 in August. “A lot of inaccurate information has been circulated due to speculation on the part of the media, social media and the public.”

Prosecutor Joseph Coronato said Thursday that Julian Hoffman, 21, called police to report a "disturbance" just before 11 p.m. on Aug. 23 and told the dispatcher, "I'm raising hell."

The 911 call can be heard here:

When two Brick officers knocked on the door of the home on Cherrywood Circle, they heard a scream and several loud bangs, the prosecutor's office said. Hoffman answered the door with what appeared to be a handgun in his hand and said, "What's up? Do something," according to the prosecutor's office.

A third officer yelled that Hoffman had a gun, and the officers at the door ran to take cover, yelling at Hoffman to drop his weapon, the prosecutor's office said. Hoffman exited the house and ignored the order, instead walking towards the officers, the prosecutor's office said.

He stopped and told officers to "just do it" as officers continued to order him to drop the weapon, according to the prosecutor's office. It said Hoffman raised the object in his hands and aimed it at one of the officers.

Fearing that Hoffman was going to pull the trigger, two officers shot at Hoffman, the prosecutor's office said. Eight rounds were fired at Hoffman, the fatal bullet striking him in the chest, it said.

According to the prosecutor's office, video from the home's security surveillance video could not be recovered as it was programmed to overwrite footage in order to save storage space.

A toxicology report determined that Hoffman had a blood alcohol level of .208 and had cocaine in his system, the prosecutor's office said.

Hoffman's girlfriend told investigators that earlier in the evening, she and Hoffman got into a fight at a party, and returned to the home, where he told her he was going to "raise hell" and call police, the prosecutor's office said. She said Hoffman got what she described as a black BB gun, pleading with her to let him end his life, according to the prosecutor's office.

Hoffman then pushed her into a room and barricaded her inside, the prosecutor's office said.

Brick officers Jason Nye and Ryan Osborn were put on paid leave as a matter of standard procedure during the investigation, Brick Police Chief Nils R. Bergquist told New Jersey 101.5 at the time. He said the two were “very good officers” with no history of disciplinary trouble.